Chapter 3
The first retired capo arrived forty minutes later.
Dominic Shaw.
Sixty-eight.
Gray hair.
Heavy shoulders.
Walter’s oldest friend still alive.
He entered the sitting room carrying a black envelope.
Walter stared.
“I didn’t call you.”
Dominic looked toward Valentina.
“I know that now.”
Brian shouted from the dining room:
“He’s confused!”
Dominic’s face changed.
Valentina ignored the interruption.
“What did you receive?”
Dominic placed the envelope on the table.
Inside was a small brass Hartwell token.
Old.
Rare.
Walter recognized it instantly.
His father had used them during private family summons.
Only six remained.
Three belonged to Walter.
Two were supposedly locked away.
One had been buried with his brother.
“Who gave you this?” Walter asked.
“Courier.”
“When?”
“Yesterday.”
Dominic looked uncomfortable.
“Along with a message from your number.”
Valentina handed him the phone.
Dominic opened his own.
The text was short.
BRIAN SPEAKS FOR ME AT THE FOUNDERS’ SUPPER. COME QUIETLY.
Walter’s face hardened.
“I never sent that.”
Dominic nodded.
“That’s why I’m here.”
Brian shouted again.
“Don’t believe him!”
Valentina stood.
She opened the dining-room door.
Brian sat under guard.
Melissa beside him.
Valentina held up the token.
“Where?”
Brian shrugged.
“No idea.”
Melissa sighed.
“This is getting pathetic.”
Then she smiled at Walter.
“Dad, tell them you forget things.”
Walter looked at her.
She spoke gently.
“Remember yesterday?”
He said nothing.
“You couldn’t find your glasses.”
Walter stared.
Melissa turned toward Dominic.
“You see?”
Then back to Walter.
“It’s okay.”
Her smile became almost maternal.
“Old people forget.”
Walter’s hand clenched.
Valentina watched the humiliation underneath the kindness.
Melissa continued.
“Maybe you sent those messages and forgot.”
Brian laughed.
“Wouldn’t be the first thing.”
Valentina looked at him.
Brian leaned back.
“What?”
Then toward Walter:
“Tell her how many times you asked what day it was.”
Walter whispered:
“You took the clocks.”
Brian smiled.
Valentina became still.
“What?”
Walter looked at her.
“They removed the wall clock.”
“The calendar.”
“My watch twice.”
Brian rolled his eyes.
“He gets obsessed with time.”
Walter continued.
“They kept telling me I was remembering the wrong day.”
Dominic swore.
Brian laughed.
“Look at him.”
Then:
“Seventy years old and whining because someone moved a clock.”
Valentina stepped closer.
Brian smiled.
“Go ahead.”
“Hit me again.”
She didn’t.
That disappointed him.
Instead she asked:
“What is the Founders’ Supper?”
Dominic answered.
“Old custom.”
Walter looked at him.
“Not used in thirty years.”
“What happens?”
Dominic hesitated.
“Retired capos meet with the sitting head and old patriarch.”
Valentina’s eyes narrowed.
“For what?”
“To settle succession disputes without splitting crews.”
Silence.
Melissa smiled.
There it was.
She had wanted the words spoken publicly.
Brian looked toward Valentina.
Then Walter.
His expression changed from fear to arrogance.
“Maybe Dad already decided.”
Walter stood.
Slowly.
His voice shook from anger, not age.
“If I had decided anything…”
He looked at Brian.
“…you would be the last person I told.”
Brian’s smile vanished.
Then Dominic said:
“There’s another problem.”
Everyone turned.
“The supper is tonight.”
“Where?”
Dominic looked at Walter.
“Your old river house.”
Walter went pale.
May you like
That property had been closed for twelve years.
Only someone from the old Hartwell circle should have known it still existed.
